Sphaerobolus stellatus

Scientific name: Sphaerobolus stellatus (Tode) PersoonDerivation of name: Stell- means "star." Synonyms: Common name(s): Cannon fungus; Sphere thrower;
Artillery fungus; Shotgun fungus.Phylum: BasidiomycotaOrder: PhallalesFamily: GeastraceaeOccurrence on wood substrate: Saprobic; solitary or
grouped on decaying wood (e.g., landscape bark mulch),
sawdust, herbaceous debris, or dung; spring through fall.
Dimensions: The fruit bodies are 1-3 mm wide. Sterile nest surfaces: Yellow-orange, becoming whitish.
The nest opens by splitting into 4-9 starlike rays.Fertile inner tissue: Single peridiole ("egg") about 1 mm
in diameter; dull yellow
to reddish-brown to dark brown.Edibility: Are you kidding? Arora states that "Several
hundred would be needed for a mouthful!"Comments:
The peridioles are sticky and will glue
themselves to objects such as house siding, windows,
and
cars. Shredded hardwood (tanbark) seems most prone
to supporting this fungus. To avoid the next-to-impossible-
to-get-off little tarry black
dots, use mulches in areas next
to houses and cars
that do not support the growth of this
fungus.
Recommended types are pine bark mulch or cedar
or cypress
mulch. Recent studies (Geml, J., et al., 2005)
indicate that three
species of Sphaerobolus are in the
Northeast, one of
which, Sphaerobolus ingoldii, was
determined to be new. The diameter of its peridioles is
about 1 mm.
The other two species, S.stellatus and S.iowensis, have peridioles about 1.5 mm in diameter but can
otherwise only be differentiated from each other using
micromorphological features. As a result, many specimens
identified as S. stellatus are likely to be S. iowensis and
vice versa.